There and back again

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/AuraDigitalBackdrops/edit?ref=seller-platform-mcnav

There and back again

So my last post was a bit traumatic. I wrote it, I lived it and I never want to revisit it. A few months on and I am much stronger. Life is still challenging as I am doing dialysis four times a day and sometimes its painful, sometimes its gruelling and sometimes its just over with no fuss. Fortunately there is a bit of light in sight. I am going to the overnight machine, which will give me my days back. I cannot wait, as I literally feel tethered to the house at the moment. They are also changing the fluid. Apparently it is less acidic and so will reduce the pain quite significantly, I am genuinely really excited about this new fluid.

After I started the dialysis, my body went into shock and my hb fell through the floor, because of this and because my weight was so low they decided I would not be strong enough to go through a transplant. So, 4 months ago I was suspended from the list. I was absolutely devastated about this. Transplant is my goal, my lifeline. So to be taken off was a blow, (even though I knew they were right.) Three weeks ago I thought they were going to let me back on the list. The meeting was scheduled to discuss my case and my consultant (who had to make sure I was strong enough) told me that he was sure I would be put back on. But I got the call and they told me that because I had been so poorly I still was not strong enough for the operation. So, I needed a bit of extra time and I needed to put on at least 2 kilos. I hadn’t put any weight on in 6 weeks. So for me this seemed like an impossible task. But, three weeks on and I am half a kilo away from my goal. I cannot imagine how I am going to feel when they put me back on the list. Elated springs to mind.

I have continued to work as much as I can. Shoots are still a way off. I get tired so quickly and shoots require such a continued burst of energy, which I just don’t have. I can though work on my digital backdrops on photoshop. I sold one to a photographer I really admire last week and I was chuffed to bits. I am also still doing my stock work. The two combined aren’t bringing me in a wage, but its enough to pay a few little bills and buy Darren a guinness every now and then. Plus, its kept up my skills in photoshop which would have been quickly lost had I not been regularly working in photoshop.

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/AuraDigitalBackdrops/edit?ref=seller-platform-mcnav
Digital Backdrop, fluffy sheepskin and teddies

Above is one of my backdrops and here is the backdrop with my niece composited into the image…

 

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/AuraDigitalBackdrops/edit?ref=seller-platform-mcnav
Digital Backdrop, fluffy sheepskin and teddies

 

The one below is one of my most popular backdrops at the moment.

 

Digital backdrop, wicker basket and white fairy lights

I really hope that my next blog is even more positive and you never know that transplant call might be just round that corner. I don’t think there will be any stopping me then. I am going to grab life and celebrate everything. I am as before so grateful to the people in my life that have got me through this time. Their support means everything to me and it will not be forgotten.

 

Newborn Shoots & (possibly) a model call

IMG_8450 with sheepskin and baby 2 mbNewborn Shoots

So, for the last six months I have mostly been photographing newborn shoots. Luckily for me! as I love photographing newborns. It’s such a precious time for my clients and truly so wonderful to be able to capture this special time. Each year I feel I add to my skills and improve them. Above all it takes patience and calm and following the cues of the baby. This area of my business continues to be strong. I think its because newborn shoots are not about simply clicking the shutter. It takes time. I’ve photographed a fair few photographer’s babies and they tell me that they tried but newborn photography wasn’t in their skill set.

I have been posting far fewer pictures on Facebook though, partly because my clients ask for privacy which I completely respect. If a client asks me to post to social media then of course I am more than happy to oblige. I mainly use Facebook now for news or for offers. For example, every year I offer a model shoot. I am hoping to do a model shoot in August. The pictures I take in model newborn shoots are used to update my website, or to try some poses that I would like to master – but don’t want to do so on my paying clients time.

Digital Backdrops

I am also still adding to my catalogue of digital backdrops. there are twenty or so at the moment. I have added a gallery to my website where you can try some of my backdrops (small images) for free before you buy! If you go this gallery http://victoriaashman.zenfolio.com/p259041982 Click on the picture that has ‘Aura Digital Backdrops’ written on it and then click ‘menu’ by hovering over top left of the picture, you can then click download. If you go back to the gallery the picture next to it is an example of what you can do with the image, and the third image is the high resolution download, which you can download and pay for through my website.

Here is a little video with a few of the backdrops that I have on offer. It includes some instructions on how to use them. I sell them at my etsy shop https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/AuraDigitalBackdrops

Freya & Jake’s outdoor photography shoot.

Freya & Jake’s outdoor photography shoot

Wonderfully, I got to spend some time with Freya and Jake at their outdoor shoot a couple of weeks ago. As always I love seeing the kids running free, (though I do find it hard to keep up!). We were just in a hotel garden and I found a lovely tree, some nice hedgerows and a bench. It gave us some wonderful backgrounds. The lighting was soft, with no harsh shadows and I was able to shoot these photographs.

Untitled-2

Untitled-3

I love this shot of Freya, I used the hedgerow as a backdrop which gave us a solid dark colour behind. This helped the glitter to really pop. Freya also had fun, and by the end of the shoot was telling me poses to try! It’s always lovely when the children get that engaged with the shoot.

Untitled-5

Beautiful Jake, I look at this shot and I wonder what he is thinking. He has been through a lot in the last year, so I was more tentative when taking pictures of him, letting him come to me. I’ve photographed him since a baby and actually he was quite shy in his shoot then. Even as a tiny baby Freya seemed to love the camera. I have noticed that some children do seem to love the camera straight away and some don’t and in fact I think I would have been in the ‘some don’t’ category. (hence why I am behind the camera… probably!).

Untitled-9

I took this picture of Jake before we went outside, he was asking me about my reflector. Jake loves seeing how things work, so I was showing it to him and he was listening quite intently. I just took this very quickly, using the window as a catch light.

 

 

Untitled-8
Freya and Jake’s outdoor shoot

Finally I took some pictures of the Jake and Freya together. Freya is a lovely big sister and is very caring, you can see she is watching out for Jake all the time.

Untitled-4
Freya and Jake’s outdoor shoot
error: Content is protected !!